Up and Under
by Stretch Snodgrass
Summary: Once again, the Beagle Boys escape from prison.  This time, they have an ingenious scheme to steal Scrooge's dough by digging a tunnel underneath the bin.  Can they get away with it?  Will Scrooge stop them in time?  Reviews are greatly appreciated.
1. Escape

**Up and Under**

**Escape**

_It was a few hours before lights out at the Duckburg Jail. _

_The cavernous, fort-like prison stood behind a barbed wire fence. It wasn't Aquatraz, but it was considered a very secure prison. Except, of course, for a few prisoners who could always escape . . . practically at will. Yet, nobody knew why or how . . . ._

"We've got to get out of here," said the Beagles. "We've got to get out of here."

"And _under _Scrooge's moneybin," said Big Time.

"Huh?" said Burger and Bugle.

Bugle pushed up his shades. "Bebop, bebop, why _under _the bin good bro?"

" 'Cause I figured it out. Scroogie has no security _under _the bin. How else could his loot sink into the sewer?"

"Ooh," said Burger. "Was that the time when we crashed through that bakery?"(1)

"Never mind," snapped Big Time. "Ah here comes the guards with our care package from Ma."

The "guards" were actually rookie cops. With all the breakouts the Beagle Boys had made over the years, the Duckburg Chief of Police had decided it was best for full fledged police to guard the Beagles.

The Chief had promoted two recent entries from police academy - a duo that had seemingly managed to succeed singlehandedly in a complex kidnapping and ransom case. (2)

Big Time recognized the cops as the two who had "captured" his cousins the Beagle Babes. Actually, it was Scrooge's nephews and niece who had done the capturing. The cops had been clueless - and the chief had been clueless to appoint them.

"This'll be a piece of cake," muttered Big Time.

"Ooh, cake. . ." started Burger.

"Shut him up," Big Time told Bugle

"Hey, you, infamous Beagle Boys," said the first - a tall young dog. Officer Smith. "Your mom sent you this, like, jumbo cake."

It was certainly a large cake - almost as large as the shorter duck who was carrying it - Officer Jones was his name. It had white frosting and black licorice jail stripes.

A large stick and sort of triangular decoration stuck out the top. It looked suspiciously like a shovel.

There were also some large weird frosted flowers on top. They almost looked like hand grenades. That wasn't to mention the handles sticking out the side - that sort of looked like pistols.

"Jumbo Bumbleberry Surprise," said Burger.

"Bebop, bebop," said Bugle, dancing. "Jumbo Bumbleberry Surprise is the tops."

"You ought to payback your mom for being so cool,' lectured Smith. "Like, I remember when I skipped school my mom wouldn't even let me eat McDuck Bars for a week."

"Yeah," said Jones, as he handed the cake to the drooling Burger. "Imagine what she'd have done if you'd be sent to jail."

"Yeah, dude, totally," said Smith. "But its like I said, _you _dudes, you ought to reform . . . its uncool to let your mom down like that.

Big Time smirked.

"Yeah, its tragic. We would do everything and anything for our Ma if and when we get out of here."

"Yeah, like rob Scroogie's . . ." Burger started.

Bugle stuffed a slice of cake in his mouth.

"Like, that's the spirit dudes," said Smith.

"Write her a card," suggested Jones, as he and Smith left down the hall.

"Now's bro's," said Bugle, when they had disappeared round the corner. "How about we waltz out of here."

"Sure," said Big Time. "That's what I likes about Ma's Jumbo Bumbleberry Cake. It's got an arsenal - we can break out of here's without breaking a sweat -and have an arsenal besides.

"Bebop, bebop, sure good of Ma to pack all this junk," Bugle observed.

They were interrupted by a loud burp.

"Oh, no" said Big Time and Bugle. Bugle added, "Like Bongo drums of mercy"

Burger had eaten most of the cake - pistols, hand grenades and all.

(Note 1: _A Drain in the Economy_)

(Note 2: the rookie cops are from the episode _The Good Muddah's_)


	2. The Gold Mine

**The Gold Mine**

Luckily for the Beagles, Burger had spared the shovel.

"Alrights you mugs," said Big Time, grabbing the shovel from Burger and handing it to Bugle. "Gets to work."

* * *

_Although the sun had risen bright over Duckburg, and the forecast had called for a hot day, there was a chill in the air._

"Great baseball weather, huh, Uncle Scrooge," said Huey, as the nephews greeted their uncle at breakfast.

"Ugh," said Scrooge McDuck, in his thick Scottish brogue "I cannot think of baseball today, laddies."

He showed them the paper. "BEAGLE BOYS ESCAPE AGAIN: UNDER EYES OF DUCKBURG'S FINEST"

"They had those two guard the Beagle Boys," said Louie, with disgust.

"Well," said Dewey, "they did get the credit for capturing the Beagle Babes."

"Aye," said Scrooge. "But I dunno care about them right now. I've go to get to me bin."

"Here, we'll help you," said the triplets in unison.

"No," said Scrooge, generously. "Watch the baseball game. I know you laddies were looking forward to it. I don't expect the Beagles to try anything until at least this afternoon."

* * *

After the boys had left, Scrooge was uncharacteristically gloomy.

"It seems as if today's going to be one of the days where the sun nay shines" Scrooge said to Duckworth, who had arrived to clear the breakfast trays.

Duckworth looked outside at the bright sunny weather. He rightly concluded that Scrooge was speaking metaphorically.

"Shall I prepare the worry-room?" asked Duckworth, in his well-bred voice.

"No," said Scrooge. "Drive me to me bin."

* * *

Huey, Dewey and Louie and Doofus had a birds eye view of the Duckburg Mallards game. They were with Launchpad in the Quackyear Blimp flying over the stadium.

"Gee," said Doofus, "this sure is fun."

"Isn't it," said Launchpad, who was flying the blimp in slow circles just above the uppermost seats. "This blimp's a lot easier to handle than the Hindentanic."

It was so easy that he could fly the blimp while keeping an eye on the game.

"Yeah, it's interesting," said Dewey. "But I think it's better to actually have a seat down there."

"That's true," said Launchpad, nostalgically. "I remember when my Dad took me to my first ball game - right after I crashed my first bicycle - the Duckburg Mallards were actually good back then . . . ."

"The Duckburg Mallards is the best team there is," said Huey loyally.

"Yeah," said Doofus, Dewey and Louie. "Only," added Dewey wistfully, "I wish they'd score once in a while."

At that instant, a miracle happened. Mallards No. 19, Doug Dougston, connected the bat to a fastball with an amazing crack, and the baseball quickly flew up and out of the stadium.

"Wow," said Doofus.

"A home run" cheered Scrooge's nephews.

"Uh-oh," said Launchpad - realizing that the ball was heading straight for the blimp.

Launchpad had been what was considered a safe distance above the stadium - but if the surprise ball ripped through the blimp he'd crash onto the crowd below!

He quickly took evasive manoeuvres - and the blimp skyrocketed all too quickly through the air.

The ball missed them.

"Gee," said Doofus, "That was a close one."

"Great job," said Huey, "We could have crashed into all those people."

"We're not out of the woods yet," said Launchpad.

They were caught in an air draft, and the cabin beneath the balloon swung crazily before Launchpad managed to land it - almost softly - near the money bin.

"Hey, what's that?" asked Dewey.

A large volume of money was squirting out of the ground like a gusher of oil.

* * *

The Beagle Boys didn't dig directly from the jail to the bin. Having had trouble digging their way to a safe hideout, they finally emerged in a field outside of Duckburg.

"Now, you's guys," said Big Time, "Let's get going to the bin and DIG."

They picked a place just outside Scrooge's property - and dug.

* * *

"Ah, me bonny money," said Scrooge. He was dressed in his swimming outfit and was about to dive in for a swim.

The Beagle Boy Early Warning Burglar Alarm was on - and what better way to protect his money than to be with it.

* * *

"Bebop, be doobaa," said Bugle. "We're going be in the clams."

"Clams?" said Burger.

"Nevermind," yelled Big Time. "We're right under the bin. A little more and we'll be through the concrete."

* * *

"Awk," gasped Scrooge. "Me money"

Slowly, but surely the money began to form a slow-moving whirlpool.

Scrooge took a big breath and dived in. He swam.

"Awk, a hole," Scrooge thought, "And its getting bigger."

The pressure of the money chipped away at the steel and concrete at the bottom of the bin - the small hole that the Beagle Boys had made had rapidly grown in size.

Scrooge quick swam down and through the tunnel.

He soon moved rapidly, carried by the current of money - and was thrown up to the surface.

Scrooge quickly swam out and surveyed the damage. He was just beyond his property, and below Killmotor Hill - where his money bin sat atop.

Despite being stolen from the bin, none of his money seemed to actually be _missing_. Aw . . . . The Quackyear Blimp. Were the Beagle Boys going to steal his money that way?

"Uncle Scrooge, Uncle Scrooge," it was Huey, Dewey and Louie. "The Beagle Boys" the nephews pointed out.

"Why you're right lads," said Scrooge.

The Beagle Boys were at the side of the gusher of money. They were buried up to their necks in cash. Unlike Scrooge, they didn't know how to swim through the cash . . . they were caught.

"Up to their necks in their work, eh Mr. McD?" joked Launchpad.


	3. Back to Jail

**Back to Jail**

_Smith and Jones, the two rookie cops, were pacing the prison exercise yard_.

"Gee, I hate to see what's going to happen to us," sighed Officer Jones.

"Yeah, like, he'll have our badges for sure," said Smith.

A shadow passed over the yard.

"Huh," said Jones. "What's that?"

"I think it's, like, a Solar Eclair" guessed Smith.

"Heads up," yelled Launchpad.

The two rookies looked up. The Quackyear Blimp was flying overhead.

"Cargo away boys" said Scrooge McDuck.

They lowered the Beagle Boys down on a rope.

"Thank's, Mr. McDuck," said Jones.

"Like, Right-O," said Smith. "Like, its back to the slammer for you three."

Big Time groaned.

* * *

_Some time later:_

Scrooge was standing on the platform overlooking his money. He was joined by his nephews, Webby, Mrs. Beakly, Duckworth, Doofus, Launchpad, Gyro Gearloose and the two cops.

"I vacuumed all your money back into your bin," said Gyro. "I filled the hole the Beagle Boys dug with my new invention - Steel-Reinforced Cement. I also placed new burglar alarms beneath the vault."

"Good work, me boy" said Scrooge. "Now the Beagle Boys will never try to dig into me vault again."

"Also good work, lads, Launchpad, Doofus - guarding me money while Gyro vacuumed it back."

Scrooge went on. "And great work Launchpad - I tip me hat to the best pilot in Duckburg - a lot of people could have been hurt if you had crashed that blimp."

Scrooge was sterner when he turned to Smith and Jones. "I hope you learned a lesson . . . never, ever turn your backs on the Beagle Boys. But I'm glad you lads weren't fired - in time perhaps you'll make good cops."

Smith and Jones saluted.

"Thanks, Mr. McD" said Launchpad appreciatively.

"Aye, this has been a good day after all," said Scrooge.

Scrooge decided to give way to rare sentimentality.

"How about everyone join me at the best hamburger stand in Duckburg?"

Everyone cheered.

The End

Miscellaneous Episode References:

1. The joke about the Solar Eclair is taken from _Allowance Day._

2. At the end of _Scroogerella,_ Scrooge, Webby, Mrs. Beakly, Duckworth and the nephews go "the best hamburger stand in Duckburg" (and Scrooge even lets them "even order hamburgers")

3. The police rookies and the Beagle Babes appear in _The Good Muddah's._

4. A blimp flying over the prison, and references to the money falling into the sewer, originate from a _Drain in the Economy_.

5. There are several episodes where the Beagle Boys break out of jail with tools and weaponry hidden in a cake. Their breakout in _The Money Vanishes _most closely resembles the scenario here.


End file.
